


Something Borrowed....

by IWillBeTheEndofYou



Series: The Domestic Lives Of Figure Skaters [28]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Dancing, Drunk Dancing, Found Family, M/M, Marriage, Nervousness, Podium Family, Receptions, True Love, Vows, Wedding, Wedding Rings, Yuri Plisetsky Needs a Hug, butt pincones, errybody gettin' drunk, pretty boys doing pretty things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:54:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29687016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWillBeTheEndofYou/pseuds/IWillBeTheEndofYou
Summary: Finally, FINALLY the renewal of the vows has come. Fun, friends, family, alcohol, and dancing. What could possibly go wrong?
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Otabek Altin/Yuri Plisetsky
Series: The Domestic Lives Of Figure Skaters [28]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2046686
Comments: 61
Kudos: 88





	1. Chapter 1

"You look stunning." Phichit grinned as Yuuri stood in front of the full length mirror. He fiddled with his tie, a long, lovely piece of blue that matched the bridesmaids dresses.

"I feel silly." he confessed. He wanted to mess with his hair, but he'd spent hours in a chair earlier in the day. His hair was perfect, he was even wearing make up. Phichit had moisturized his eyes, so his contacts wouldn't bother him. His nails had been buffed again, and lotion worked into his palms and fingers. When he reached for Victor's hands at the altar, they would be soft and smooth for him.

"But you look great!" Yuuko giggled. She and Phichit shared a wink, and Minako even looked pleased. Yuuri was starting to think that it was a very bad idea to let all of them get together. This could only blow up in his face.

"How much longer?"

"Twenty minutes." Phichit checked his watch. He was looking great as best man. The white shirt was crisp, the blue tie made his skin nearly glow. "Why don't you sit down and have some water?"

The door to the bridal suite opened up, and everyone stared.

A blond angel, it had to be. But Yuuri just smiled. His son with his hair pulled up into a complicated updo. His green eyes so big and bright, helped out by the careful lines of eyeliner and the little bit of mascara that the make up artist had convinced him was essential. His lips looked full and soft, thanks to the plumping gloss.

He was wearing a blue shirt, no tie, black pants with blue lines down the side. He even had black stone cufflinks. He could have been a model, Yuuri thought. He almost panicked, wondering what others would think of them. Would they think this was too much? Would someone think that he was letting his kid get all dolled up?

It didn't matter, he told himself. Anyone could think anything they wanted to. It was his wedding day, and he wanted everyone that mattered to be happy. And anyone who was bothered by it didn't matter. He walked over to Yuri, cupped his face. The boy blushed a little bit, but allowed the gesture.

"Dad asked me to bring you this." he held out a velvet box. Yuuri opened it and examined the slender platinum chain. Dangling from it was two small golden rings.

"Oh, he is clever, isn't he?" Yuuri laughed and clasped the chain on.

"I tried to guess what it was, but it hurt to pretend to be that stupid."

"Be nice, sweetheart." he said mildly. He went to the vanity he had been sitting out and found his own little box to hand to Yuri. "Please take this to him?"

"Yes, Papa." he said absently. He accepted the kiss on the cheek and walked out, seemingly fine with being an errand boy. Yuuri couldn't have imagined him doing such tasks willingly when he moved in. He couldn't even do the dishes without coping an attitude. It was a long road from there to here, he thought, full of bumps and missteps. It wasn't without heartbreak. But here they were.

"He just seems so much better now. Happier." Yuuko noted. "There was just something about him when I first met him in Japan. Something that was dragging him down.

"I hope he's happier. We do our best. We aren't always perfect."

The talk drifted back to other topics, trying to burn the next fifteen minutes.

"Oi, old man." Yuuri walked into the room that Victor was in. He rushed over, wearing his own black shirt and blue tie with a black jacket. "Papa sent you this."

"Did he like his gift?"

"He loved it." an eyeroll. "You could have given him a sparkly pinecone and he probably would have liked it."

"Do you think I should have?" he frowned, slightly worried that he had done the wrong thing then. Yuri just gave him one of the darkest looks possible.

"Oh my God, I am going to shove a pinecone up your ass." he sighed. Chris burst into laughter.

"It might come out sparkly then." he dabbed at his eye. "Are you going to walk with me, Yuri?" he sounded so flirtacious, as only Chris was able to.

"Are you going to walk or are you going to prance as you fling flower petals?" he sighed. It had been a problem during rehearsals. Yuri had begged for his parents to make Chris, behave, but they had only laughed. Victor reminded him that he had known Chris for a long time, and Chris was never one to dial it back. And this was such a happy occasion, so why would it be any different?

Manage your expectations, Yuri.

"I think you now the answer to that question." Chris gave him one of those smoldering looks. Yuri just scoffed. Victor pried open his box and smiled to find a platinum bracelet, He held out his wrist, and Yuri silently attached it. It tucked nicely down into his shirt sleeves, and would gleam nicely when they were dancing. Leave it to Yuuri to find such a tasteful gift that was also so perfectly Victor. He knew both of them almost better than they knew themselves. It was an uncomfortable realization, he thought, to know that someone who wasn't you could almost read your thoughts.

"Papa made a wonderful choice."

"Except that he agreed to marry you, so obviously he has lapses in judgement." Yuri shrugged. Christ nearly choked trying to hide his laughter.

"Why do you do this to me?"

"Because it's funny to watch you try and come up with a retort." Yuri shrugged. "I can tell how hard the hamster on the wheel is struggling."

"You're killing me, Yura. You're killing your dad. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"That Papa and I take your life insurance and have a really great vacation?" he couldn't help to throw in one more zinger. Victor just shook his head sadly, then gathered the kid in for a hug. To his credit, Yuri returned it, pressing himself into Victor's chest. They stood them for a moment, ignorant of the rest of the room.

"Let's go get ready to walk, Yura." he murmured.

The music started, and sure enough, Yuri walked down with Chris. Chris, true to his word, nearly skipped ahead, scattering the white petals. He really hammed it up, smiling and winking at the crowds.

But there were those who looked at Yuri and just smiled. Those who nudged each other and almost cooed over him. He had thought that he was past that age. He was incorrect.

He stood off on Victor's side, to help make it look a bit more even. The music change, and there was Yuuri. Yuuri standing and walking all alone, not on his father's arm. He was beaming, and his eyes were glued to Victor. He did not stumble, he did not waver. His steps were sure and steady. He knew that every step was leading him closer to Victor, exactly where he wanted to be.

Where he belongs, Yuri amended in his head. Likely where he has always belong. Yuri let his eyes wander out to the crowd without turning his head. He realized that there was one part of dark eyes focused entirely on him. Otabek sat there, his hair falling nicely, wearing a dress shirt and pants. He was looking squarely at Yuri, his eyes starting at the top of his head, with the crown his hair made, traveling all the way down past his shoulders, down his waist and hips.

The look itself was a caress, But the blond couldn't quite decipher if this was the sort of caress one gave out of affection or out of romance. It was probably a mix of the two. But he wasn't in a place to try and figure that out right now. His own eyes snapped forward to where Victor and Yuuri were speaking their vows.

It was the typical script one could expect. The only difference was the way Victor and Yuuri delivered them, so honestly, so earnestly. It was a big wedding, but it was like they were the only two people in the room. Yuri suspected that everyone else could have blown away to dust, and the two of them wouldn't have noticed. Or cared if they did.

"And now," the minister was smiling. "Victor and Yuuri have something they'd like to add."

Before he could think, Yuri was being drawn gently forward to stand between them, where the minister had been standing.

"Yuri," Victor began. "I remember you as a little boy. I remember seeing you wobble in your skates your first time. You fell down a lot, but you grit your teeth and got back up. You kept trying. I have always, always admired that about you. You have gotten many knocks if your life, but you have never let them keep you down. I promise, Yuri, I will always be here. I will always help you back up. I am always in your corner. I love you so much, and I have your whole life, even if you didn't know it."

Hot tears stung Yuri's eyes and he bit his cheek to keep from gasping out loud. This had not been expected at all, this had not been discussed during rehearsal.

"Yura, I can remember the moment that I loved you. You were skating Agape back at Yu-topia. I saw the way you moved, and I could read the pain that you had. And I loved you then. You asked me once if I loved you even when you were mean to me. I did, and I still do. I love you in those hard moments, because I know how very much you need it. But Yuri, I don't just love you because you needed me. I love you because you came in and made Victor and I feel more complete. You always belonged to us, even when we didn't know it. You have made me a better husband, and more importantly, you've made me a better person. I wish I had words to express everything you are to me and to us. All I have is these three; I love you."

The kid lifted his chin and then looked at the dark haired man. He was almost unaware of the hand on his other side, slipping a silver ring slipped onto his right hand, with two small stones; Victor and Yuuri's birthstones. Victor kissed that hand, and Yuuri kissed his left. It would have been an embarrassing gesture, with the whole crowd looking on in awe, it he hadn't felt in that moment the sheer sincerity and love the couple was sending him.

He was allowed to step back then, his face still burning. Chris, always mindful, stepped slightly out of line to let Yuri step back, hide a little and gather his thoughts. When they kissed, he clapped with the rest of the crowd, those his hands felt numb and he almost felt like he was somewhere else, too.

"You did so beautifully." Chris said in his ear. "It meant so much to them. You handled it with so much grace. It was a gift to them that they were able to do this. I warned them you might be skittish, but  
you have impressed me."

"I can't talk about it." he choked. Chris understood, and as they left to go back to the bridal suite, did wonderfully at keeping people away from him. He took a few deep breaths and managed to gather himself together, as they all headed to freshen make up and touch up hair before going outside to take some pictures. The guests were heading to a cocktail hour.

The photographer posed them in the traditional poses, did a some focusing on the happy couple. Did some focusing on the three of them, with Yuri between his parents. Instructed them to hold out their hands with their rings. They all knew that the best shots would be the candid ones during the reception, when the drinks started flowing, of course.

"Come on, my dears." Victor said with a sigh. "I want to eat and dance and enjoy this evening with both of you."

"Are you ready?" Yuuri held out his hand to Yuri. "Let's go sweetheart, everyone is waiting for us."

"Yes," he took the hand, cool and smooth in his, responded to the responding squeeze with one of his own.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did you know Victor had parents?

To give them credit, the old man and the piggy had at least picked delicious foods for the reception. Yuri had to give them that. He sat at the head table, between Yuuri and Chris. He was thrilled to realize there was even pirozhki. He wondered if that had been included specifically for him. Either way, it was delicious.

"Are you getting enough?" Yuuri asked in his ear, fussing with a bit of his hair that was coming out of the complicated bun.

"I'm fine, Papa." he sighed, batting him away. "Don't worry about it."

"Leave him be," Victor said from his other side. "Eat your own supper, my love."

There was wine and champagne on offer, as well as various beers. He was poured a glass of sparkling grape juice, although Chris gave him a wine and snuck him a few sips from his wine glass. It was delicious wine, Yuri thought. It didn't burn the way the cheap ones he'd sipped before had, but went down smooth and thick.

Victor tapped his glass with his fork then, and the DJ slipped up and handed him a mic.

The speech was full of thanks for coming, his joy at sharing his love of Yuuri with all of them. Yuri stood up at the end and held out his hand. Victor raised an eyebrow, but handed over the mic. This hadn't been part of rehearsal, but Victor was all about surprises. And neither of them had the heart to tell him no, not today. The kid knew that.

He had been planning this, though. The only one who had known was Chris, who had promised Yuri that he'd make sure he got a chance. Looked like the little sneak was in on a little of secrets and surprises, though. Who knew he was capable of such things. From the way Phichit's eyes were sparkling, Yuri had an inkling that maybe his mouth ran just a little bit.

Oh well. It didn't matter, as long as he got the outcome he needed.

"My name is Yuri Plisetsky, as if I need any introduction, and Victor and Yuuri are my guardian's. I think that I spend more time taking care of them, though." he shrugged. The people all laughed lightly. "They spent a lot of time at home or on the ice, and they're still extremely boring people. I liven up the place a little bit. Maybe sometimes I'm a little too enthusiastic, but I think they need that." he took a deep breath.  
"More importantly, though, Yuuri and Victor take care of me. They take very good care of me. I know that it isn't easy to adopt a teenager, especially one as amazing as me." more laughter. "But they've did it anyway. They didn't have to. I used to worry about why they would ever do something like that. It wasn't a secret that when I first met Yuuri, I wasn't exactly kind to him. And Victor has known me my whole life, and he's well aware of my personality."

He wasn't aware that he was trembling slightly. Nerves? Strange. He never felt like this before he got on the ice. The hand closest to Chris was holding the mic. His other hand dangled by Yuuri, and he was aware of slender fingers lacing through his, giving his hand a squeeze. He felt grounded in that moment, instantly so secure. Yuri still marveled at how the brunet was able to do that, with one simple gesture he could say things that Yuri needed to hear.

"Yuuri and Victor took me in, but more than that, they have loved me. They didn't have to. It wasn't a requirement. But they did, and they do. They've taught me a lot, more than just skating. They've taught me about letting people love you, even when it's hard, and even when it hurts. They've taught me about kindness, kindness to myself and kindness to others. Even when I don't feel like I deserve it. Even when I don't feel like they deserve it. They've taught me a lot about what it looks like to be in a family, and how it's okay to be mad and hurt. I feel like I'm going to be okay, whatever the world throws at me. Because I'll have Victor and Yuuri. Even when I don't really want them."

He'd written this speech a thousand times, torn it up. It still rang silly in his head. He focused on a space on the horizon, not daring to look anyone in the face. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mama Hiroko putting her hand against her chest.

"I used to think that I wasn't easy to love." he swallowed hard. "But I know now that must not be true. Because Victor and Yuuri love me so easily. Not out of obligation. Just because--they do. They love me. And even though I didn't want to, even though I was scared to--I love them, too." he glanced then at Yuuri, tears sparkling in his brown eyes like he knew they would. Even Victor's eyes were glistening, mouth slightly agape.  
"I love you, Yuuri and Vitya. Thanks for making me part of your family too, or whatever."

He handed the mic back and sat down, staring stubbornly down at his plate, ignoring everyone else. His ears and cheeks were burning. It had sounded so babyish, so ridiculous. Here, I made you a macaroni necklace, type thing. He almost instantly wished he could take it back. Phichit stood to make his speech, and although all three of them were sure that it was lovely, Yuuri and Victor only half listened. Their eyes kept landing on Yuri, taking in the curve of his shoulders, the raw vulnerability he was displaying.

Yuuri wanted to wrap his arms around him, secret him away to a quiet place where they could sit alone and sort out these feelings. Instead, he was left with squeezing the shaking fingers, marveling at the warmth he found there. It must be killing Victor, he thought, to not be able to stop things and get up to hug Yuri.

Eventually, the speeches wound down, and the DJ announced that they would have the first dance. Victor stood sharply, offered his hands to Yuuri like he had a thousand times before. They walked to the dance floor, looking at each other like they were the only people in the room. The familiar music began, the same routine that had made Victor notice Yuuri.

But this was an entirely new dance. The way they moved, they way they reached and clung and spun. The way they looked at each other was the same way that they looked at one another at the altar. They were the only people in the room. They could have been the only people in the whole world. Yuri's heartached, not for the first time that day.

Maybe, he thought, if he was very, very lucky... one day, someone would look at him like that. One day he'd feel that all encompassing love.

There was applause when the dancing ended, with Victor dipping Yuuri low to the ground. They came up, with Yuuri blushing bright pink. More music started, and people gradually gravitated to the dance floor. The couple made a beeline to Yuri.

"Sweetheart," Yuuri gasped, wrapping his arms around the boy. "You never cease to amaze me."

"It was silly, I shouldn't have done it." he grumbled.

"I would have been disappointed if you hadn't." Victor said softly. He cupped Yuri's chin, his eyes peering into his. He kissed his forehead. "Come on, my husband. We have people to meet. There is plenty of time to talk to Yuri about things after the honeymoon."

They went into the flow of people, ready to meet the crowd. Yuri exhaled a breath he hadn't been aware that he was holding. Phichit came up then with a champagne flute, handing it to him.

"Don't tell anyone that I gave you this." he warned. "But after that display, I thought you deserved a sip or two." drinking champagne was a bit like drinking some bubbles that burned a little. He downed the glass easily.  
"Careful," Phichit warned. "I don't want to get in trouble."

"I'm Russian," he boasted. "I can handle my liquor."

Phichit wandered away, leaving him a few moments to catch his breath. He watched the couples on the dance floor, surveyed the crowd. Before he could get too comfortable in the chair, Mari snagged his elbow.

"Mama and Dad want to see you."

Ah, of course. He happily went to see the Katsuki family, accepting hugs and sitting at their table for a few moments. He was kissed and fawned over, fussed and adored. It was nice, he thought, to have a branch of family that would do this for him. Not that Dedushka wouldn't give him a hug and a kiss if he wanted one. But it was a little bit different.

"Yura!" Victor sang. "There you are. There's something I want you to meet."

"Oh, who now?" he sighed.

"My parents."

"Your parents?" he repeated, jaw nearly dropping. "For some reason, I never considered you having parents. I guess I figured that you hatched from some unholy egg, or emerged from the ground nearly fully grown and crawled to the nearest ice rink. Yakov just happened to find you."

"Please behave in front of my parents." he begged.

"They deserve a medal for having dealt with you your whole life." he sighed.

Sitting at another table was a tall, regal looking woman, and a tall man with a heart shaped smile. The woman's hair, the shade of silver that let you know it was once platinum, shining in a pile on top of her head. She looked formidable, but when she looked at Yuri, those icy eyes softened.

"So this is the other boy who stole half of my son's heart." she murmured. Her voice was velvety and sweet, and it made Yuri want to relax. "Aren't you lovely."

"Of course he is." the man smiled. "I'm Ivan,"

"I'm Anna." the woman nearly purred. "You have beautiful cheek bones."

"Mom used to model," Victor said. "I've already claimed him for the ice, Mom. Hands off." Victor tried to bat her away.

"Ah, but he's so young and talented. He could do both."

"You're talking about his like he's not here." Ivan sighed. "Sit down, son." he patted the seat next to him, while Anna and Victor continued to argue amongst themselves, complete with eye rolls and headshakes  
"As you can see, he came by the drama genetically. I am so, so sorry you must endure that."

"You had two of them to deal with?" Yuri gave him a sympathetic look.

"But they were both wonderful."

"Victor's okay." Yuri shrugged.

"Quite a speech you gave, young man." he gazed at him thoughtfully. "My son is extremely lucky to have found you and the other Yuuri."

"I don't know how they stand each other."

"You do, too." Ivan smiled. A few more people that Yuri didn't recognize wandered over. Blue eyed people, silver haired people. They fell onto him with joyous shouts, and more hugs and cheek pinches. He ground his teeth and tried to smile, feeling more and more uncomfortable by the moment. But it was, he thought, hilarious to watch these people hug Victor, pinch his cheeks, tease him about his cute little husband. Victor looked slightly embarrassed. It was delightful.

Eventually, Mila appeared and stole Yuri away, easing him onto the dance floor. Here, he felt more in his element, moving to the music, rolling his eyes at the red head. The DJ announced a parent and child dance, and to his surprise, Mama Hiroko came out to dance with Mari, and Anna was walked out with Victor. But Yuuri came and captured his hand.

"Dance with me."

"I thought that--."

"Mama has someone. I want to dance with you, sweetheart." the song was slow and soft, some sappy thing about how much parents love their kids. It was almost too much. He couldn't say no to Yuuri, not today. He let himself be walked out, wrapped his arms around the slender waist. He pressed his forehead to Yuuri's felt the warmth of him seeping into his kin, just like it did when he was sick, or when he sought him out from a nightmare.

They didn't speak. There was no need for words. They were simply content to be with one another in that moment. The tension that had built between Yuuri's shoulderblades was oozing out. It was a difficult day, having to plaster on a smile when he didn't feel like it. Having to talk nicely to all these people. This moment with Yura made it better.

"Dad and I love you so much." he murmured.

"I know." he just pressed against him a little harder. When the song ended, he got a kiss on the cheek, and Yuuri was once again claimed by Victor with a winning smile.

He exhaled and tried to drift away, running almost directly into a firm chest. He gasped and stumbled, was caught with a quick arm around his waist.

"Yuri, I've been looking." Otabek, talking in his ear. "Wanna sit down?"

"Love to!" he squeaked.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Otabek finds out.

Beka walked him to a quiet table, tucked into a corner. They dropped into seats. Yuri didn't comment on the fact that Beka hadn't let go of his hand. He did hand him a champagne flute.

"I don't think anyone is watching us too closely today."

"Which is weird when you consider that there's like, a thousand adults who are kind of in charge of me." Yuri said thoughtfully. Beka laughed. "It's kind of weird."

"Is it?"

"I got so used to not having anyone looking after me. I mean, Dedushka, of course. But he couldn't be everywhere at once. And now.. There's Victor, and Yuuri, and their parents. And all the rink mates."

"Do you not like it?"

"I'm not sure. It's just new." he was sipping the champagne. Beka drained his own flute as they watched the people. It was nice to have someone that he could sit with and be quiet, Yuri thought. He loved that about Beka, he didn't try and pry into his thoughts. He didn't try and coax words out of him. He was patient and content to wait until Yuri was ready.

And Yuri was almost always going to be ready for Beka.

He turned their cupped hands over, feeling Beka's fingers again. Beka gave him a squeeze. After the flute was empty and Yuri felt that pleasant buzz, he smiled at his almost boyfriend. He rose up and tugged him out to dance. He let the music direct and guide them. He was aware, vaguely, of someone mentioning how cute they were, but that was easy enough to ignore.

The only thing in the world at that moment was Otabek. He swallowed hard as he was spun and dipped suddenly The dizziness washed over him, helped by the drinks he'd been having. He realized that his cheeks had to be burning. He wondered if he was more than buzzed, and if he was, was anyone else going to notice. When he was uprighted, he clung to Otabek.

"Should we go outside?" the dark haired boy asked. Yuri nodded enthusiastically, and they slipped through the crowd outside.

Cool air washed over them, easing his dizziness. Still, he leaned against his friend, happy to feel something so solid underneath him. Whatever else was happening, he knew that Beka was real.

"I still can't believe you talk to me." he said, almost without thinking.

"What do you mean by that?" a slight frown on the normally stoic face.

"I mean that you're much cooler than me." he laughed a little, feeling embarrassed. "You're a freaking DJ. You're calm, cool, collected. You just radiate cool. I'm just--some ice fairy."

"That doesn't change your eyes."

"I don't think you'd like the look of my eyes very much, if you knew everything that had happened to me to get them." he swallowed hard. Some still sort of sober part of his brain wondered if this was territory he really wanted to walk into. Once things like this were told, they could never be taken back. And he knew it was possible that Beka wasn't going to think any differently of him. There was also the possibility that this was going to change things in a way that neither one of them was going to like

"Do you want to tell me about it?" Beka had walked them out to the big rocks surrounded the dirt parking lot. They sat on two flat ones next to each other. Yuri stared down at the grass, rubbing his foot back and forth.

"I don't know if I want to so much as it's something that should happen. Full disclosure."

"Okay," Beka said carefully.

"You once assumed my parents had passed away, and I agreed with you. And that part is true, my parents are both dead. That is why I lived with Dedushka for so long." he swallowed. "What I didn't tell you was that when I was like, two or three years old, my Mom died in the apartment that I was in with her. I was alone with her body for days."

"Days?" Beka's eyebrows shot up his forehead.

"I don't remember a lot of it. Sometimes it seems like my memories began that day. Or maybe I only remember it so well because the story was told to me so many times."

"What happened to your Mom?"

"She overdosed." he shrugged. He said it as easily as if he was saying she had blonde hair or was tall.

"On what?"

"Heroin, probably." he shrugged again. "She used my whole life. Except when she was pregnant, so I was told. I'm not sure, I don't know if anyone is really one hundred percent sure. But she did at least lay off it a little bit. I suppose I should be grateful for that bit of it."

"Your Mom overdosed when you were a toddler and you were left alone with her body for days." Beka looked like he was rolling it in his mind.

"Yeah, that's about the size of it. I tried to wake her up. It wasn't unusual for her to take naps, because she worked nights, and at first I thought she was asleep." words were pouring out faster and faster. "But when I shook her, she was so cold. She was so still. I kind of knew what 'dead' was in that little kid way, but I had never seen it. Not like that."

"My God, Yuri." Beka was staring now. "And then what happened?"

"My Dad got custody of me for a little bit. Not Victor," he said quickly. "My biological Dad. But he wasn't very nice to me. He was really angry about a lot of things. I don't remember most of it. I'm glad I don't remember most of it. I remember the way he's grab my arms and squeeze, and it always hurt. But if I cried, he'd tell me that he'd give me something to cry about."

"He did that to you?" Beka looked furious.

"It wasn't for very long." Yuri said uneasily. "He overdosed, too."

"Did you have to stay with his body, too?"

"No! Dedushka was watching, and it wasn't long at all. Certainly not days like with Mama."

Thank God for Nikolai, Otabek thought. Who knew what would have happened had it not been for him. Who knew what other suffering he would have had to endure.

"Is that when you went to go live with him?"

"Eventually..." he trailed off. "I stayed in an orphanage for a little bit. But I really don't remember anything from that time. It was big and dark and there were lots of other kids, and there was never enough of anything for anyone. That's really all I remember. And how to weave flower crowns."

"Flower crowns," it was a strange skill to pick up from a place like that. He watched the blond boy for a moment. For all his bravado, for all his long, hard words, he was so fragile. He was so delicate. There was a layer of iron to protect and cradle the porcelain of him.

"And then Dedushka got me... and now I stay with Dad and Papa."

There was silence between the two of them. The noise of the reception was there in the background, as well as the cars driving down the road past them. The trees rustled with the faintest breeze. Otabek marveled at the way that it lived the strands of Yuri's hair that had managed to escape his hair style. He say there, green eyes peering into his.

Love me, those eyes whispered. Love me even with everything I've told you. Love me because of those things, not in spite of them. Oh please, please just love me.

Beka understood now that there were different ways that Yuri needed to be loved. He needed to be loved as young man, and he needed to be loved as a broke child that was only now starting to recover and grow. He reached out and cupped the boys chin, even smiling when he nuzzled his cheek into his palm. He knew now that those warrior eyes had come when there was no one to protect Yuri except for Yuri.

And he was beautiful. He was wonderful. Beka loved him precisely like this. That did not mean he didn't regret the road that the Russian had taken to get to his place. He took Yuri's hands then, examined them in the moon light straining to illuminate them. He took in the delicacy of them, compared to how his were rough. He took in the tapered tips and the nails that Yuri sometimes paints.

"I understand if you don't want to see me anymore." Yuri said softly. "I'm kind of a lot."

"You're nothing that I can't handle. And if I didn't want to, I wouldn't be here like this with you now. It isn't that you're a lot, Yuri. You're just enough for me. You fit in with me perfectly. I've never met anyone else who does."

"Dad and Papa say that we're very young."

"We are," Beka shrugged. "But that's not a crime. It doesn't change the way that I feel about you."

"Date me," Yuri said suddenly. "I'm tired of doing this half way kind of thing that we're doing. I want to really belong to you. I want to really date. I want to be your boyfriend."

"Okay," Beka squeezed his hand. "We can do that." 

"Do you mean it?" his breath was tight in his chest. He never knew he could be so bold as to ask for this. He stared openly at the dark haired boy. Beka lifted up his hand, examined the ring on his finger. He brought it sweetly to his lips and kissed it.

"Who knows, Yuri? Maybe someday you'll have another ring to wear." he grinned. It was so rare, so special. Yuri knew that he was on fire inside. Otabek was now his boyfriend. He'd made an illusion to marriage. He knew the darker secrets.  
"But we should go inside now, because anyone asks where we've been for so long."

They walked back into the reception, and were split up almost immediately. Yuri was pulled into a few more family pictures, and frozen in poses and smiles, his head spinning. More flutes were pressed into his hands, and he drank them down. He wanted to go and dance more with Otabek, but he wasn't sure he could do that without falling on his ass.

"Sweetheart, do you--." Yuuri approached him after he'd found a chair. He froze midstep and contemplated his son. "Someone's been giving you some bubbly."

"Little bit." he agreed.

"Are you drunk, sweetheart?"

"Little bit," he nodded.

"Do you need to go to bed, maybe?" he stroked Yuri's cheek. He wasn't even upset. They hadn't exactly said he couldn't have anything to drink, and this was a safe a place as any.

"Little bit," he nodded again.

"Let me get Dad, and we can--."

"I'll take him to bed." Otabek appeared out of nowhere.

"Would you? It would be a big help." Yuuri looked a little relieved. "Here's his room key."

They had chosen a venue that had rooms to stay in. It was nice to do everything in one place, the wedding, the reception, getting ready. Otabek took the key and offered his hand to the drunken boy. He lit up and took it, followed him out of the reception hall and to the lobby, then to the elevator. He snuggled up to his boyfriend's chest, nearly purring.

Otabek just put his hand on the back of his hair. Getting him into his room was simple enough. He just held his hand and the blond trotted along beside him. He led him into the little hotel room and deposited him on the bed. He dropped to his knees and eased off the pinchy dress shoes. Yuri sighed in relief. He flopped down on the bed, arms spread wide.

Here the older boy paused. Should he peel him out of his pants and dress shirt? Take down his hair? He sat back on his heels, looking up at the blond haired angel. He was already snoring. Beka settled down unbuttoning the pants and sliding them off, then undoing the cuffs of the shirt. He manipulated the boy to laying down with his head on the pillows. 

He pulled the blankets up and then bent to kiss the sleeping boy on the forehead. He turned and left the room, pausing to glance at him sleeping there. A flutter of his heart, butterfly wings against his chest.

"Good night, beautiful."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I gotta be honest I have about three more ideas for this series. So... Send prompts if you think there's something you'd like to see!

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: My husband and I found a similar ring to my engagement ring. Not an exact copy, but close in style. We gave that to my eldest daughter (then four) on our wedding day.


End file.
